Muscle Physiology and Contraction

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts related to muscle physiology and contraction processes.

Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ)

The synapse between a motor neuron and a muscle cell.

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A neurotransmitter involved in muscle contraction.

Excitation-contraction coupling

The process of converting an action potential in a muscle cell to muscle contraction.

End-plate potential (EPP)

The depolarization of the motor end plate caused by ACh binding.

Sliding filament theory

Theory explaining muscle contraction where thin and thick filaments slide past each other without changing length.

Troponin

A protein that, when bound by calcium ions, causes tropomyosin to move and expose binding sites on actin.

Cross-bridge

The connection formed between myosin head and actin filament during muscle contraction.

Calcium pumps

Proteins that transport calcium ions back into the sarcoplasmic reticulum during muscle relaxation.

Cholinergic receptor

A receptor type that binds acetylcholine and is involved in muscle excitation.

T tubules

Invaginations of the sarcolemma that help propagate action potentials into muscle cells.